stay with him if you can (but be prepared to bleed)
by EmmyWayward
Summary: "All I'm saying is that, maybe there is something else going on with him. You didn't see what I saw in that jungle Emma." Emma hears David out about Hook and his sudden distance


**category**: Once Upon a Time

**ships**: captain swan, captain charming (a bit), charming family

**genre**: romance/angst

**rating**: T

**summary**: _"All I'm saying is that, maybe there is something else going on with him. You didn't see what I saw in that jungle Emma." _Emma hears David out about Hook and his sudden distance.

_So I uploaded this on my tumblr (killiansadvocate) and i thought it would be good to put it up here. Tell me what you think! This is my first CS story, so you know, be gentle! :)_

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She swore that she wouldn't let any man break her again. She once promised to never let another man through her walls, but when a certain pirate was involved, she knew that promise was shattered. But if she can grant herself one armor of defense, she would not allow anyone to break her again. To make her come undone as she had before.

Of course, everything changes when it comes down to the man in a grand leather coat and a metal appendage.

She left Granny's after her dinner, running to the docks knowing he would be there. Even though the Jolly Rodger was no longer at the Storybrooke port, something she has not let go of and will discuss with him later, he still goes near the sea for some recollection.

She's not the only one who is an open book. To her luck, he was there, looking towards the ocean with his back to her. From where she stood she could see his hair tousling in the slight breeze and the slight tension in his shoulders as his head was bent forward. He looked exhausted.

What came after she stepped up and made her presence known led to a confusing and hurtful conversation they've ever had and she remembers it well

"_Hey," Emma spoke, stepping forward. She could see his head snap upwards and him giving a sigh before turning her way. His normal blue eyes that held so much care and adoration towards her only had a trace of indifference and another emotion she can't place at the moment. His normal smile was replaced with a thin line as he shrugged his shoulders in a greeting._

"_Is there something you need, Swan?" his voice was hard and cold, leaving no room for the playful lilt that usually graced his tongue. She raised an eyebrow, something she must have earned from him, before moving towards his person._

"_I just wanted to come check on you. You seemed…off when you left the apartment," she trailed, knocking the toe of her right boot the floor. She was nervous in that ridiculous school girl kind of way and she didn't know how to stop it._

"_Yes, well, there were some unfortunate circumstances that came to my attention that I had to take care of. Nothing more, so if you don't mind, I'd rather be alone, Lass,"_

"_I don't think you quite understood what I said back there, you know before you ran off," he raised his eyes toward her for the first time in this conversation, no longer looking over her shoulder._

"_You were having dinner at that old woman's establishment, Swan. Not hard to grasp," She chuckled, giving him one of her rare smiles. He smiled back and she could see some of his old ways pushing through his façade._

"_No, about no longer wanting to live in the past. I don't think I made myself clear on what I meant so I thought I'd try again," she took another step into his person putting her a foot away from him. She smiled to herself, thinking that this is what he usually does; puts himself into her personal space to make his intentions and notions incredibly clear without having to voice them. Perhaps he is rubbing off on her. She didn't seem to notice the way he held his breath and flinched at how near she is._

"_I don't want to live in the past anymore."_

_She did it. She was finally putting herself out there, telling him what he has been waiting to hear. Deep down she knew he was always going to be the one to win her heart and this is her telling him as much._

_She raised herself on her toes, keeping her eyes on his as she leaned towards him. She saw his eyes flicker to her lips, and heard his broken sigh. She was so close to his mouth, feeling his breath on her lips when he broke the moment between them as he spoke up._

"_Emma, I can't," and just like that, she was shattered. She fell back on her heels and took a step back. His eyes held hers and conveyed the hurt that was most likely shining on her face. She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, showing him she put up her defenses again. _

"_What do you mean you can't? Have-have I been wrong this whole time? I thought," her voice fell, coming out broken and angered from her lips. He opened his mouth in protest, but shut it before he could voice any words. Running his hand through his hair, he turned back to the ocean._

"_I think it is best if you take your leave, Emma," his voice was distance and void of emotion. She was pissed. If he was going to reject her, he could at least look her in the face and tell her to go. _

"_No. I'm not leaving until you tell me what the hell is going on, Killian," he let out a heartbreaking sigh but didn't turn back._

"_Well, you will be out here for a very long time, Swan, I can assure you that," she stood her ground for what felt like hours before the tears in her eyes gave in and fell down her cheeks. With nothing else to say to her, he walked towards Grumpy's boat, the one he lent Hook for the time being, leaving her in the same spot, watching him go._

_She cursed him before turning and walking back to Granny's, hoping a cup of hot chocolate will calm her down before she went back to Henry in their home._

That conversation seemed hours ago, and she was still seated at a stool at the counter, nursing her lukewarm hot cocoa. Granny has come by many of times asking her if she wanted something else, but Emma was deeply concentrated on her conversation with Hook. She was dissecting every part of that dialogue that she didn't notice Granny's doorbell signifying a customer entering the restaurant.

"Hey Emma," she turned to see her father sauntering up to her side getting the owner's attention. "Granny, I am going to need a couple of slices of that famous Banana Cream Pie of yours. Snow is pretty adamant that if she does not have it before bed, she might die." The old woman smiled and made her way in the back to box up the slices for the prince. David took this opportunity to turn to his daughter and take notice of her gassy eyes and red nose.

"Hey, is everything okay? Is it Henry?" he asked, putting a loving arm around her shoulder. She shook her head lifting her cup to her lips. David waited, looking at her, hoping she will continue on her own without him prodding. After she placed her mug back down.

"It's stupid. I just had a run in with Hook, but its fine, I'm over it," she said, trying to hide what she was really feeling, but David could see through it.

"Did he say something?"

"David, just let it go. I'm over it and I don't want to deal with him and what the hell is going on inside his head at the moment, ok? We have a witch to find that we should put all of our attention on," she snapped shrugging off his arm. She kept her eyes on the counter, not wanting to see the disappointment in his eyes at her crudeness. She could not handle that on top of everything else.

She was expecting her protective father to start a rant on how the pirate wasn't good enough for her and that she deserves better. She was anticipating him cursing Hook's name for making his "baby girl" cry and stomp out of here to threaten the pirate with his own hook. What she did not expect was what came out of his mouth instead.

"Don't give up on him Emma," it was simple but something about that one sentence, that one piece of fatherly advice, hit her harder than she expected.

"What?" She said softly, looking to the man sitting next to her. He had his head down, looking at his hands clasped together on the counter. He took in a breath before turning to her one more time. She could see the amount of love in his eyes and it was almost enough to send her back in tears again.

"Don't give up on him. You deserve happiness and you deserve love. You both do. The heartbreak that happened to you is enough to break the strongest person, but you are not alone anymore Emma. Hook - _Killian_ is someone who is always going to be there for you, no matter what. He is going to be by your side until you tell him to leave. Whatever you think is happening, there has to be another reason for him to act this way." He reassured his daughter, gently grasping her hand. She could feel her tears returning, threatening to fall, but she held them back to look at David.

"You didn't see the way he was to me David. He looked at me as if he was just, looking through me. It was…I don't know what it was but I have never seen him look that way to me," she explained, thinking of the way Killian's eyes held no love towards her as they have before. It made her sick to her stomach.

"Then talk to him. Emma, there is reason for this, I know there is."

"How?" He smiled big as if she told him something that was extremely funny.

"I'm not blind Emma. I can see the way he looks at you," she rolled her eyes at him, ready to say something similar to what she told Regina, but he beat her to the punch. "And more importantly, I see the way you look at him when you think nobody is paying attention. You two together is eye opening really. You help each other in ways that nobody could even fathom. What you guys have, or can have, is something that should be fought for, not thrown away because you think you know the whole story. Don't give up on love and don't give up on him."

Granny chose this moment to bring David his order, giving them both a smile. "Here's the pie for your wife, dear. Now, you should probably head home before she goes on a rampage," she jested, smirking at Emma. Emma chuckled as David grabbed the bag letting go of her hand and standing up from his stool.

"Yeah, you're right. We don't need Snow worrying anyway, thanks Granny. Emma," he turned back to his daughter, raising his hand to swipe a tear that is making its way down her cheek. "You are not obligated to take my advice, all that I'm saying is that, maybe there is something else going on with him. You didn't see what I saw in that jungle Emma." And with those parting words, he made his way to the door

"David, this doesn't have anything to do with him being your best friend, right?" she tilted her head, smirking at him, waiting to hear his answer. Charming groaned and turned her direction before heading out the door.

"Don't tell him that Emma. The last thing I need is to have him harassing me over it," and with a last mile he was gone. Emma chuckled before turning back to Granny who was watching her with a small smile.

"You know, it doesn't take someone that long to pack up a couple pieces of pie," she narrowed her eyes at the older woman, who merely shrugged.

"It looked like you two needed a moment alone. You can't say I was wrong about that," Emma laughed nodding her head at Granny. Everyone knows Granny is never wrong about most stuff.

"He was right you know. Nobody is blind in this town, dear. Well, except for the Warne triplets, but what do you expect? They were the three blind mice after all," Granny grabbed Emma's mug and headed to the back to clean up for the night.

Emma took advantage of the silence of being left alone to go over what David told her. Maybe there was something more to Killian keeping his distance than there meets the eye. Whatever it is, it's going to take some work to have him tell her, if he doesn't want to be around her long enough for a small chat.

And if she finds out that it is connected to that bitch Zelena, it is going to take some serious man power to hold her back from taking her out once and for all.


End file.
